Taken
by luckypixi
Summary: A chance meeting shopping leads to horror for two of the BAU agents. Will they get their children back alive?
1. Chapter 1

'Scented or unscented?' JJ pondered. She was in the mall, shopping for Henry, who was asleep in his pushchair. She was considering baby powder. 'What do you think?' She asked Henry. In answer he gurgled and yawned. 'Thanks'. JJ smiled.

'Unscented'

JJ spun round. She was greeted by the smiley face of her boss, Aaron Hotchner. Jack was clutching hold of his hand, clearly bored of shopping. She smiled back at him.

'Unscented eh? Why?'

'Not sure' said Hotch, raising his eyebrows, 'Hayley always bought it.'

JJ smiled again and pulled the unscented powder off the shelf.

She paid for her items and she and Hotch walked out of the shop together. Jack was taking a closer look at Henry. 'He has a lickle nose' he said, prodding it. Henry stirred, grinning at Jack, who started to laugh.

'Can i have one daddy?' he asked, pulling at his father's coat, 'Can i have a little baby? I'll take good care of it!'

Hotch smiled, steering clear of the question by saying 'Do you want a new teddy?' Jack nodded franticly, forgetting all about the baby business.

'That was close' he smiled at JJ.

They walked along together to the door. They stood for a while at the TV store. Hotch stood for a moment looking down into the baby's pushchair. 'You take care of your mum now' he murmured, smiling at him.

Then out of nowhere, a man shoved into him, pushing him into a window. He turned around to see what the guy was playing at and was greeted by a scream from Jack, who was in the arms of a great big man. 'No!' he shouted. He heard JJ scream; a man was pushing little Henry away, sprinting out of the door with him.

'No!!' he shouted again, running out the door. There was no sign of him.

A car screeched past and Jack pressed his face up against the window screaming for his daddy.

'No Jack!!!' screamed Hotch. He ran as fast as he could, following the retreating car as it sped off.

'No No No!!' he stopped; he couldn't run fast enough.

He heard JJ stop beside him. 'Hotch, he's gone, he's gone! What are we going to do?!' she screamed in hysterics. Hotch tried to calm her down, pulling her into a hug.

'I'm gonna find them. I'll call the team and we'll find them.' He reassured, blinking back tears. He held JJ close as he watched the car as it sped off into the distance


	2. Chapter 2

The black SUV ground to a halt and Gideon, Morgan and Will climbed out. JJ ran crying into Will's arms.

'What's happened?' asked Gideon.

'They've taken our children' said Hotch hoarsely. 'Jack and Henry. Just ran off with them. I should have been watching them'

'Aaron, listen to me-' Gideon grabbed the younger man's arms, who was on the verge of tears 'You could have done nothing to prevent this. Believe me. Have you called Hayley yet?'

'Yes, she's on her way here'

As if on cue Hayley's blue Sudan drew up and she climbed out. It was a miracle she could drive; her eyes were full of tears.

She looked angry and Morgan went up to her to try to calm her down. 'Mrs Hotchner, come this way-'

She pushed past him, aiming straight for Hotch.

'You've done it this time haven't you!' she screamed at him. 'It's all your fault, all for this stupid job!' Overcome by a motherly rage she laid into Hotch, clawing at his face and chest, drawing blood with her nails.

'He's gone!' she screamed, 'And you let it happen!' she kept attacking him.

'Honey!' tears were running down Aaron's face. Morgan ran up to her and tried pulling her away, but she kept on. Hotch tried to regain some control 'I'm so so sorry!' he grabbed her arms and suddenly she collapsed into his chest, sobbing and screaming. Hotch nodded to Gideon and Morgan, who were both close, in case they had to pull Hayley off him. They walked away to comfort JJ, who was still crying into Will's shoulder.

He held Hayley close, letting her sob into his chest. When she had calmed down, he pulled her away.

She looked like a child with red eyes, all puffy from crying. He studied her. 'Hayley, look at me, look at me' she looked deep into his eyes. 'I am going to find our son. Trust me, i am not going to let him go.'

'I know' Hayley replied. 'I'm sorry about a minute ago. I hurt you' she gently cupped Aaron's face in her hands, fingers trailing the small cuts she had inflicted on him.

'It's ok' Hotch whispered. He held her hands. 'I am going to find him' he repeated. He bent down and kissed her, feeling the tears on her cheeks.

Reid ran up to the team and they broke apart.

'Guys, I've been studying the CCTV footage of when the boys were taken and JJ and Hotch whilst they were shopping and it looks like a personal attack, not random. They were followed all the way around. The big man, who took Jack and the little guy which ran off with Henry. We've managed to salvage one clear picture of one of the men, the big one, which I've sent over to Garcia. Hopefully we'll get the small guy because he might associated with him.'

Hayley looked at Hotch. 'The genius?' Hotch nodded, cracking a rare smile.

Gideon took over. 'That's great Reid. Keep going over the footage and call us if there's anything new.' He turned to look at JJ and Hotch in turn.

He looked seriously at them. 'We are going to find your children.' They both nodded.

'Hotch, did you manage to get the licence plate on the car?'

Hotch shook his head.

Gideon turned away, hiding a frown.

Now all they had to go on was a single image and some crackly CCTV footage.


	3. Chapter 3

Joyce watched as the Black Jeep pulled up in the overgrown front garden. She may not have the most scenic motel in town but her rates were the lowest around; plus her guests knew she would keep her nose out. Maybe that's why she got all the weirdo's.

She watched silently through the window as two men got out. A rather large one and a small skinny one. The skinny one came up to the door. Joyce went over to him.

'How may I help you sir?' she asked. The man looked about 30 and he had stubble growing over his chin and lower cheeks. He looked more like a rat than a human. He smelled like one too.

'Yeah, we just pulled in town and want a room. Say, for a week or so.' The man seemed nervous; he was sweating and kept looking back at the other man, who was leaning against the car.

'Right. Well I gotta nice cabin up in the garden, see cos' we're full. It's got heating, enough room for two. Running water and such. It's unlocked though, so you gotta be careful it's just up that road there.' She pointed up a windy mud track.

The skinny man nodded furiously. 'We'll take it, we'll take it!' he said. He handed over a fistful of dollars and ran back over to the fat man.

'Hey!' Joyce called. 'I'm gonna need your names!'

The men looked sideways at each other. 'Red and Blue!' the large man decided.

Joyce smirked. If that's the game they're playing. She turned to go back in the house when something caught her attention. A face. A little face in the window of the car. A little boy with a mop of dark hair. He was holding something. She strained her neck to see. She gasped; it was a baby. Cant be more than two months old. She called over to the men.

They were gone. She cried out as she felt a sudden blow to the back of her head. She slumped to the ground. The two men stood in front of her. 'Tell no one and you don't get hurt' one warned. They walked away.

The last thing Joyce remembered before she passed out was the sound of tyres screeching and a baby crying.


	4. Chapter 4

'So what do we know about kidnappers?' Gideon was stood in front of the team. They had made base in the CCTV room of the mall; it was closest to where the abduction happened and they had just as good resources here as they had in Quantico. It was a grey coloured room with several computer screens hanging on the walls.

Morgan and Prentiss were stood looking at the CCTV which Garcia had pulled up for them. Hotch had taken Hayley home and was on his way back. JJ was still distraught and went for a drive with Will to clear her head.

Reid cleared his throat. 'There are two types; those motivated by sex, i.e. paedophiles and those motivated by revenge. Typically paedophiles only take one child at a time, that way they are easier to control and keep quiet, so it looks like we're looking at the latter. This is a personal attack on Hotch and JJ.'

'By why take their kids? If it was revenge, why not pull them off the street and take what they want? Why risk themselves by taking their children right in front of them?'

Gideon sighed, 'They took the things that is closest to their hearts. To punish them emotionally instead of physically. It does a lot more damage to parents.'

They all turned as Hotch walked into the room. He had changed into his suit, maybe to regain some control. 'what have we got?'

Reid relayed again his theory of revenge kidnappers and Aaron nodded his head. 'We've done enough to get punished for.'

Gideon looked confused. 'What do you mean, 'punished for'?'

'Come on Gideon, in our line of work we get a lot of enemies. Its amazing something like this hasn't happened before.

'What else do we know about revenge kidnappers?' asked Garcia, getting back to the case.

Morgan looked at her. 'Normally they take the kids for something in return; a swap, money, a way out. Most of the time they will contact the parents.'

'What do you mean, contact?'

'I mean they will send the parents something; some hair, fingernails. Maybe even a picture or video.'

'And these sickos get off knowing they are hurting the parents?'

Morgan nodded.

'We cant just sit here and do nothing. We have to get the police involved; start a grid search or something! It feels wrong just sitting here!' Hotch was wringing his hands in desperation.

'I don't think that would be a good idea' Garcia whispered, her eyes glued to her screen.

The team sidled behind her.

'I have a filter looking for web pegs with children in it, you know in case it's relevant to a case, and i just pulled this one up-'

She clicked on a link and everyone heard Hotch sigh as an image filled the screen.

It was Jack. His eyes and mouth were covered with a material. He looked ok, apart from a thin cut on his cheek. There was no sign of Henry.

A shadow cast over Jack. 'Say hello to daddy' spat a man nastily. He removed Jack's gag off and the little boy sucked air in gratefully.

'Mr. Hotchner, i regret you cannot speak to me, but i need you to just listen; it is not us. We are working for a higher power, someone who hates your guts. The little baby wouldn't stop crying so my partners taken him outside. Now i don't want to hurt children. I really don't, but i don't know what to do, what food to give them and things like that. I don't want them anymore but i don't want to kill them. I don't know what to do. The man looked about twenty, small, unwashed and unshaven. He looked scared and desperate.

'Garcia, cant you get an audio link?' asked Morgan.

'No, honey, this is a camcorder not a webcam. Its not two way.'

Prentiss was looking at Hotch; his eyes had not left his little boys. He was shaking, savouring seeing his boy alive. Thank god JJ wasn't here; there was no sign of her boy.

There was a crash on the screen. The man looked around.

'Get out of the way, i heard your snivelling' a huge man's face filled the screen. It looked like the definition of evil. He had black, beady eyes, an unkempt moustache and several small scars dividing up his chin.

'Hotchner you had this coming!' he snarled. 'If you hadn't killed my son none of this would have happened. Now i'm gonna take yours from you!' he pulled Jack around in front of him. the little boy let out a terrified squeal. The man took out a knife and held it tantilisingly close to the boys throat. The boy screamed and Hotch yelled 'no!' the man on the screen laughed and removed the knife. 'But not yet. There is things yet to do.' His eyes narrowed and his laughed darkly, pushing Jack away from him and walking from the room. Hotch let out a small groan of 'No!' as his little boy hit the ground with a thud.

The young man helped him up. 'I cant tell you where we are, he'll kill me. All of us. You have to find us. I cant try to keep the boys safe as best i can. I don't like him hurting children. Please come before he does something worse. Whatever you do, don't call the police. He'll kill me. All of us. Just don't.'

The man reached over and turned the camera off. The last thing the team heard before they lost total contact was a little voice calling for his daddy.

The team turned and looked at Hotch who was shaking with anger and emotion. 'Who the hell is that?!' he exploded. 'I need my son back and that big guy is gonna kill him I'm not gonna let him.' His eyes welled up with tears, but they didn't break. ' when i find that son of a bitch i'm gonna kill him!'

With that he turned on his heel and marched from the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi. This is the result of MAJOR writers block. I'm just sorry it took over a year to update. **

**There will be more of this- I have the rest of the chapters planned out- there will be 10 of them in total. No more writers block for me. **

**Please enjoy xx**

Hotch went to the side of the building to let off steam. Not physically, like punching a wall, but he wrung his hands, ground his teeth and groaned in frustration. Passers by regarded him with confusion and pity; obviously the news of the kidnapping had got around.

_Calm down. _He told himself. _Think of this as any other case. What would we do?_

Feeling like a fool, answering his own questions, he didn't notice his wife as she walked up and stood next to him. Haley laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he jumped at the contact.

'It's just me' reassured Hayley, giving a brave smile that didn't quite match her tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes.

'Hey' sighed Hotch, turning to look at her. He reached out to thumb away some left over tears still clinging to her face. 'The team are scanning the video, looking for signs where the boys are. If there is anything there, they'll see it.'

Hayley nodded, too numb to speak, a gaping hole the shape of her son carved into her heart. 'We will get him back, wont we?' she asked, in a croaky voice.

Aaron Hotchner, took his wife by the shoulders, tilting his head to look her right in the eyes. 'Hayley, I promise you, I swear on my life. I will get our son back. I will' he said forcefully, shaking her slightly for emphasis.

Hayley looked up at him, nodding slightly, fresh tears bubbling up from her eyes. Hotch wiped them away tenderly. 'Go and get a drink' he said softly. 'It'll be a while yet. But we'll get em'.

'Come with me?'

Hotch nodded, took his wife's hand and led them towards a small cafe in the corner of the mall.

-x-

Will stood at the back of the room, arms folded, eyes closed. The low hum of the air conditioning was a comforting distraction from the horror around him. Sure, he'd seen some thing as a homicide detective, '_Please God don't let it come to that', _but when it was your own son, your own flesh and blood, it was hard. Really hard. He listened as Reid explained the statistics of getting their children back, but truth be told, he never cared much for statistics; he just wanted his son in his arms, to know that he was safe.

He looked over at the mother of his child, all business like, taking on the FBI role, scanning the video and pinpointing spots on a map which could be a possible location. The map was now covered in red pins. He knew, inside, she was falling apart, the bravado she was putting on a poor facade. He knew that he couldn't do anything for the team; he was here to find his son and comfort JJ. Be the family man.

'You doin' ok?' he turned to see Morgan stood beside him, a grim look on his face.

'No' he answered truthfully. Morgan nodded. 'You know I cant promise you we'll find Jack and Henry alive?'

Will stomach heaved with the very idea, and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

Morgan nodded again, not wanting to push the man; just to give him the facts. He turned to walk away, back to the team when a hand shot out and grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

'You will find them, wont you. I mean, you guys are the best, right?' Will studied him hopefully, but with a broken look in his eyes.

'Yes sir we will find them. One way or another.' He sighed. ' I suggest you go get a drink. A bite to eat. We'll be a while yet.'

Will shook his head 'No I have to be there for JJ.' Morgan nodded and walked away.

Will turned back to his earlier position and leant against the wall, keeping watch on the progress of the team in the hunt for his son.

**Ok, that was a little short, but I wanted to get the reactions in, so you know how the guys are feeling.**

**Please review, and direct your furies at me for not reviewing earlier. *Sorry***

**Luckypixi**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ok. I know last chapter I promised 10 chapters, but after doing a re-count there is only 9. Sorry about that. **

**This chapter will be slightly more hopeful than the others, with things getting along slightly.**

**Enjoy! : )**

Several uneventful hours later, Hotch watched as Hayley slowly fell asleep at the table. No one had slept since the children had disappeared over 24 hours ago and Hayley was the first one to show signs of strain.

'Why don't you go home, get a shower and have a rest?' Hotch had gently suggested. His wife had looked at him as if he had just suggested she ought to jump off a high rise building. So Aaron had to sit back and watch as his wife's eyes drooped lower and lower, her forehead reaching the table.

He shared a look with Gideon, who regarded him and his wife with sympathy; they had seen enough families go through exactly the same experience to pretend to be ignorant to their pain.

Gideon looked over to JJ and Will, who were clutching each others hands, in a silent, personal vigil. Two families were trapped in their own personal hell; nothing anyone else could do would make the pain go away until they had their children in their arms.

His eyes then travelled over to Reid, Morgan and Prentiss, who were all studying the video footage religiously. After 5 or 6 hours, Gideon was about to tell them to call it a night; to go get some rest, to come back in the morning with fresh eyes, when Reid suddenly jumped up.

'Rewind it! Go back! 5 frames!' He shouted, eyes blazing with hopeful determination.

Garcia fumbled with the controls, rewinding the film, one frame at a time. 'What are you looking for, Hun?' she asked as she hit play again. Hayley woke with a start, her husband taking her arm and leading her over to the screen with JJ and Will next to them.

'The tree... the tree' mumbled Reid, eyes scanning the moving footage. Will felt confusion wash over him. 'Tree? A damn Tree! Stop wasting our time Reid, we have to find our kids!' he exclaimed, turning away with frustration.

'Patience' comforted Gideon. He turned to the youngest member of the BAU. 'Tree, Reid?'

'Yeah, it looks like a type of bush, but is actually a tree... Stop!'

Garcia jumped and pressed the pause button. A still frame showed the man behind Jack, knife in hand, and mouth open because he was talking to the camera. Reid took over the controls and slowly started to zoom in, towards the top left hand corner.

'There. It's a European Hornbeam. See look, dark green, has an appearance of a bush, but on closer inspection is in fact a tree. It's one of the trees that are native to Ohio. The state next to this.' Reid looked around in silent triumph. 'They're being kept in Ohio.' He finished with some determination, looking at JJ, Will, Hayley and Hotch in turn.

'That's brilliant Reid. We have them narrowed down to one state. That's a start' commended Hotch.

Now they were one step closer to finding their children. One state. One tree. It sounded impossible. Improbable, but not impossible, he reminded himself.

He smiled at Hayley. 'Lets find these trees' he commanded, setting his team off to computers, knowing they would soon be off to Ohio.

One step closer to Jack and Henry.

**Ok. That was chapter 6 of 9.**

**I hope you are enjoying it so far, and want to find out what happens next! : )**

**Please review!**

**Luckypixi**

**xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi!**

**Sorry for the wait : (**

**Now for the rescue of little Jack and Henry...but will all go to plan?**

**Please review!**

**Enjoy!**

**Onwards...**

'There are two plantations where the European Hornbeam tree occurs naturally, ones someone's backgarden, just behind a block of flats and the other is in a national park'

'We should split up, two teams take each.' Morgan looked at Hotch, who nodded. 'We can't take any chances.'

Gideon looked at JJ and Hayley, who clutched at each other, not daring to believe that their sons were this close to them, yet so far away. 'We've found your children.' He said comfortingly, smiling as a tear fell down Hayley's face.

Hotch looked at Morgan and Reid, who had stood up, ready for action. Gideon tapped Garcia on the shoulder. 'Get me a SWAT team...we're going in heavy.'

'Yes sir.' Garcia was on the phone immediately.

Hotch looked at his team, even Will putting on a Kevlar jacket.

'Let's go.'

-x-

Jack looked down at Henry, who was sleeping in his arms. He sniffled and looked around the room, frowning when he saw the two men looking hawk-like out the window. He just wanted his mummy and daddy...and Henry was getting heavy now.

Holding back tears, knowing he had to be a big boy now, he sniffed, stretching his legs. Suddenly, the older man turned around, eyes angry.

'You move another inch and you'll regret it!'

Jack gulped and nodded, terror flooding his system.

'Good.' The man grunted, returning to his vigil.

Jack looked down at Henry again, hoping that he didn't wake up and cry.

He hoped his daddy will find them soon.

-x-

Aaron jumped out the car even before it had fully stopped, unsheathing his gun and looking around for his son. He had insisted that Hayley and JJ stay with Garcia, just in case...

'Damn' Hotch ran into the lobby of the motel, looking at the women sat in the reception.

'Damn guy hit me from behind!' she groaned, holding the bloody cloth up to her head, her eyes darting around as the FBI filled her small room. 'And those kids...'

'Where did he take the children?' asked Hotch frantically, looking at the woman. Joyce thought for a few seconds before raising a shaking hand, pointing up the mud track she had directed the two kidnappers to earlier.

'This way.'

Hotch stood up, nodding at Morgan and Gideon to follow him, before running up the mud track, keeping low.

Morgan followed on behind his boss, hoping they weren't too late.

-x-

Jack squealed as Henry was wrenched from him, the little baby starting to cry immediately. The old man, the definition of evil leered over him.

'Daddy's home' he spat, grabbing the boy by the arm, picking him bodily up, passing Henry to his partner, who looked unsure of himself.

'We don't have to kill them...' he said weakly, looking at the crying, innocent baby in his arms.

'Quit you're whining!' the older man yelled.

He dragged Jack over to the window, grinning sadistically as Hotch came into view, the others close behind him.

'Things are about to get interesting.'

**What's going to happen now?**

**Find out in the next instalment! **

**Hope you enjoyed, thanks a lot for reading!**

**Luckypixi**

**xxxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi!**

**Again, sorry for the wait :/**

**I just want to apoligise for some grammatical errors in the previous chapters; this was my first ever multi-chapter fic and leaves a lot to be desired. I think you can track how many years old this fic is through my writing style :D**

**A tiny bit of violence in this chapter, so be warned...**

**Please leave a review!**

**Enjoy!**

**Onwards...**

Hotch's heart stalled inside his chest. There was his baby's face, pressed up against that grimy window, held in place by a sadistic psychopath with a grudge. Fingers tightening, he strode forwards, a determined _kill or be killed _attitude settling into his being. But he was wrenched back by an arm to his shoulder, warm fingers gripping his flack jacket, pulling him back a step.

'Hotch, have you lost your mind?'

'No' replied Aaron, turning to Gideon with a glint in his eye seldom seen. 'I've lost my son.'

'Hotch, I get that, but you know what'll happen if you go charging in there, guns blazing!'

Hotch did know. Bloodshed. A dead Unsub and maybe two dead kids. Even in his darkest hour, at the very epitome of his anger, he couldn't risk that.

'Jason...I can't.' Hotch faltered, looking at the window, watching as Jack's face pinched in terror, as a little fist banged gently on the window, desperately trying to catch his Daddy's attention.

'I can't do this.'

-x-

'What the hell is he doing?' breathed the old man, ignoring the whimpering Jack in his arms, pressing hi dirty, greasy face against the window pane. 'Is he just gonna leave his kid to the lions?'

'We could let one kid go...that way they might-'

'I thought I told you to shut up!'

Jack squealed as the man holding him turned suddenly, spittle flying from his mouth, towards his younger partner.

'You just stand there and keep your trap shut! I knew I should've left you behind; you're liability!'

The young man sniffed, his hair stuck to his face with a sheen of sweat. Henry wiggled in his arms, gurgling, uncomfortable. 'Shhh...' he begged, gently tapping the baby on his forehead. 'Please...'

'You're pathetic!' growled his partner, striding forwards his boot-steps echoed around the room, making Jack wince.

He raised his arm, balancing Jack in the other, about to strike the cowering younger man, when a voice boomed from outside.

'We know you're in there! Come out now, and they'll be no need for anything to happen!'

The old man lowered his fist, a sadistic smile on his face.

'Now the party starts!'

-x-

Holding the megaphone carefully in his hands, Gideon spoke calmly into it. 'I repeat; give the children over safely, and there will be no need for any bloodshed!'

Hotch wrung his hands together, palms sweaty, watching the door with eagle eyes. Nothing moved.

'Let the children go, Sir. This is over.' Gideon spoke again, keeping trained eyes on the window, where no one had reappeared.

It was as though time had stopped. Not even a bird sang as Gideon and Hotch watched the door and window, praying nay begging, that something would happen.

They had to get their children back.

-x-

Garcia's eyes flicked sideways, mirroring JJ's as they both looked at the cell-phone on the table. It was completely silent in the small room; no one had spoken since the others had left.

'They'll call' Reassured Garcia, placing a gentle hand atop JJ's, JJ nodding, looking back to the now blank screen. Hayley sat next to her, face tearstained and red. Jack couldn't be hurt. She wouldn't let him. Nothing like this was ever supposed to happen to them; Aaron had promised.

Garcia sighed, taking off her red rimmed glasses and cleaning them on a pink cloth from her pocket. She hated cases like these, cases so close to home. She hated the feeling of knowing the person who was going through this horror, knowing exactly what they were feeling as it was played out in front of her.

She didn't miss JJ glance at the phone again.

-x-

'You have two minutes and then we're coming in, sir.'

Hotch looked over at Gideon. How could he be so cool, calm and collected? His son might die today and all he could think of was killing the man responsible. Hotch was angry, of course he was, but he knew he couldn't let his anger rule his head; that was why he had given Gideon the role of negotiator. He knew he wouldn't last five minutes before he was off running. He couldn't risk that.

Then something moved.

'Well, Mr. Hotchner...' a dirty excuse for a man had walked calmly out of the apartment, a huge great knife in one hand, his young innocent son in the other.

'Looks like we've a few things to talk about.'

'Let my son go and then we'll talk!' commanded Hotch, watching his son's face.

'Daddy!'

The man's face almost folded in on itself in anger. 'I thought I told you to keep your mouth shut!' He shouted, shaking Jack so much the boy burst into tears.

'Let him go, you son of a bitch!' growled Hotch, wrenching his arm away as Gideon lay a calming hand on it.

'Just let him go, boss.'

The old man stiffened, a hard look forming on his face as he turned around. Lowering his knife, narrowing his eyes, he let Jack fall to the floor; the young boy fell painfully onto his side, landing heavily onto his wrist.

Hotch's heart constricted as Jack screamed out in pain, pulling his hand up as though stung, hand hanging at an odd angle.

'No..' breathed Aaron, watching as his son cried, the old man stamping a boot down onto his foot, keeping him in place.

'You just couldn't take orders could you?' spat the old man to the younger one, no baby in sight.

'Where's Henry, sir?' Gideon asked; Henry was supposed to be here too.

'He's inside, unhurt.' Replied the young man, not breaking the glare of the older one.

'Not for long' Sneered his partner, eyes glinting with hatred.

'It's over, boss.'

'No!'

Then everything happened at once.

A knife glinted. A child screamed. Three FBI agents dashed forwards.

And a body fell to the ground.

**I'll try not to leave it so long without updating this time! :D**

**Please leave a comment, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, this is the final chapter... I want to thank all you readers, new and old, for sticking with this for three years :/ It's been a long time coming, but I really hope it was worth the waiting...**

**Please leave one last review, I'd love to know what you think of this fic as a whole!**

**Enjoy!**

**Onwards...**

Jack screamed. Aaron Hotchner had heard his son make all sorts of noises since his birth; screams of hunger, screams of mirth, squeals of delight and cries of sadness. Never had he heard this guttural scream, a scream torn from the very fibre of this innocent child. And he hoped he would never have to hear it again.

Throwing his weapon to the grassy ground, Hotch launched himself onto the ground next to his son, cradling his blood covered child in his arms, Jack wrapping his arms and legs around his daddy as he cried, blue eyes wide, wet and wild, dark hair matted to his head. Hotch muttered some comforting words, a hand carding through his sons' hair, arms encircling his body. Gently inspecting his son's broken wrist, Hotch let some unchecked tears slide down his face, quickly wiping them away.

Gideon rushed forwards, kicking the gun away from the limp hand of the dead Unsub, the younger of the two cowering on the floor, a blood covered knife next to him. He was whimpering, eyes closed, head bowed.

The older Unsub was lying in a pool of his own blood, his stomach brutally ripped out by a lethal twist of a knife.

Aaron looked down at the face of his son, as pale as snow. Morgan had gone inside the shack to collect Henry.

'Hey, buddy' he whispered, his son hiccupping in answer. Jack's face was pinched with pain, tentatively holding his wrist in his other hand.

'Where's the bad man?' he whispered, looking around fearfully.

'He's gone, Jack. He's not gonna hurt you anymore'

'He said you weren't coming.' Jack sounded hurt, exhausted and devastated. Hotch had seen many of these symptoms played out in other families, ones who had lost loved ones and some who had found loved ones missing for years. But never, even in his very worst nightmares, had he dared to think it would happen to his own son. How naive had he been? Did he seriously think himself immune from this horror?

'Hotch?'

Aaron snapped out of his reverie, looking up into the face of Derek, a wrapped up, sleeping baby in his arms.

'Ambulance is here...you should take Jack and get going.'

Jack sniffled and laid his head back on his dad's shoulder, letting out a pained gasp as he jarred his wrist on Hotch's knee. Gently wrapping his arms around his son, he picked him up, cradling his head against his chest, kissing the top of his head tenderly. Morgan nodded and let him pass, following with baby Henry in his arms.

-x-

'Aaron?'

Hotch murmured, eyes fixed on his sedated son.

'Aaron!'

Hotch stood up abruptly as he heard his wife scream his name, a panicked scream which jolted him into action.

'Hayley?'

Aaron quietly opened the door to Jack's room, slipping into the corridor. Hayley almost barrelled into him.

'Where is he? Is he ok?'

'Honey, he's fine. They took him straight into surgery when he got here-'

Aaron gripped his wife's arms as she tilted dangerously, face draining of all colour

'Surgery...?' she whispered.

'He's got a broken and dislocated wrist, they've set it, he's in a cast...he's fine.'

'Henry?'

Aaron smiled. 'Absolutely fine...he's with JJ and Will, sleeping.'

Hayley clutched his hand and peered through the window. She smiled tearfully as Jack sniffed, eyes clenched shut.

'What about the...' she floundered for words. 'Monster who did this? I hope you put a bullet through his brain.'

Aaron frowned, uneasy with the ease with which Hayley said that. But then, a mother's anger surpassed all others, especially when a child was in danger. He couldn't blame her...not really.

He walked up behind his wife, putting an arm around her shoulder. Hayley dropped her head onto his chest.

'I always knew this would happen...' she whispered 'one day...'

'Don't think about it now...he's fine.'

'What if-'

'No!'

Aaron grabbed Hayley's arms and turned her towards him. 'Don't say 'if'... it didn't happen! He's ok, a little hurt, but fine! One guy is dead, the other in custody. Its over.'

Hayley tearfully nodded, looking back at her son.

Aaron put his arm around him again, watching his son sleeping off the sedative, arm in plaster. Henry sleeping in his parent's arms.

It was over.

**A happy ending... **

**Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed this... :D**

**xxxx**


End file.
